Interview Tips for High School Students: Stand Out from the Crowd

The admission interview is outlined as one of the important factors that colleges look at before selecting high school graduates for enrollment, the National Association for College Admission Counseling reports. This is also a part of the admission process that school students struggle with.

The interview gives college admission teams a chance to evaluate statements made in application documents during a face-to-face interaction. It’s a completely different setup that is usually more difficult to prepare for in comparison to other application elements.

Still, common questions are asked and there are behavioral specifics you can master to do a good job.

Working on your interview skills and your confidence will both contribute to excellent results. In this guide, you’ll discover important information about:

• The interview process and why admission teams depend on it
• The most common questions asked in a college interview
• Details admissions teams pay attention to during the interview (direct eye contact, confident body language, your ability to follow attire requirements)
• How to ace body language and behave confidently during an interview
• Practical ways to get ready for an interview

The Importance of the College Application Interview

While the college application interview isn’t what determines the success of your candidacy, it’s definitely important. Through this interaction, admissions professionals get to discover additional details about your behavior in stressful situations, your communication skills, and your ability to provide relevant information upon request.

A college admission interview matters because:

• It provides a good picture of your communication skills.
• You’ll get to clarify or emphasize points you made in your application documents, the things that make you stand out.
• It is a three-dimensional approach to acquiring information about you (through the examination of soft skills, body language, eye contact, etc.).
• It delivers a chance to present your authentic self (chances are that you’re much more formal and edited on paper).

Learn more about How to Prepare for a College Interview.

In a sense, you should be viewing the interview as an opportunity rather than a threat. Making a great impression, showing admissions professionals how passionate you are about your candidacy, and building a solid case that paints you as a suitable candidate will only benefit your application.

Preparing for the Most Common Interview Questions

Typical interview questions will always be asked. That’s because they provide the kind of information interviewers need to differentiate between the candidates.

Before moving on to the skills for interviews students need to work on, let’s check out a few of the typical college interview questions and the ways to ace them:

• Why do you want to attend this university? This is your chance to show a good understanding of the program’s specifics and merits. You can also tie this information to your skills and academic successes in high school. Make sure the chosen reason is thoughtful and deep enough. Saying the college is great or that you like the location will only make you seem shallow.
• What makes you different from other candidates? Here, you have an opportunity to get really specific. Extracurricular activities, strong leadership skills (expressed through participation in clubs or competitions, for example), academic successes, volunteering work, and even personal projects can be mentioned here.
• What are your academic strengths and weaknesses? College admission officers want to get to know you as a student. Give them a detailed answer and don’t just say “I’m good at math and I struggle with oral presentations.” Demonstrate confidence but also acknowledge your weaknesses and your desire to work on them.
• Why do you want to major in X? Even if you’re not confident about the college major you’d like to pursue, you have to demonstrate a degree of self-awareness. Reputable colleges are looking for driven individuals who are ready to pursue a specific goal. The question is also used to find out whether your academic goal is properly aligned with the respective college’s curriculum.
• How will your friends describe you? This is the perfect opportunity to talk about your personality and not your academic background. Answer questions like this one honestly and openly. A bit of vulnerability and a focus on your soft skills are always a good idea.
• What achievement are you most proud of? With this question, interviewers are directing you towards your strengths. They’re also using it to get a better understanding of your values and priorities. Talk about a prize you won, the difference you made in someone’s life through volunteering work or a weakness you managed to overcome.

Looking to improve your leadership skills? You’ll want to read Step Up and Stand Out: Building Leadership Skills in Students.

Acing Admission Interviews: Tips and Hacks

Bad interviews are the result of a few things – lacking confidence, being unprepared, and delivering the wrong kind of information (whether through your answers or behavior). To ace the college admission interview, you may want to stick to a few simple but highly effective guidelines:

• Work on important admissions interview skills: Good communication, authenticity, confidence, preparedness, and critical thinking.
• Don’t overprepare: Having answers to the most common questions is a good thing. Overpreparing, however, can have a negative impact on your performance. Prepping too much in advance will make you sound rehearsed and cliched. A bit of spontaneity is always a good thing.
• Work on your body language and choose the right outfit: Attire is an important component of interview etiquette. Dress appropriately to show the interviewer you’re serious. You don’t have to be as formal as in the case of a job interview but do leave the shorts, jeans, and flip-flops at home. As far as body language goes, work on confidence. A firm handshake, smiling, and maintaining eye contact all through the interview will paint you as the ideal candidate. You can use practice interview settings at home to address involuntary signs of stress or anxiety.
• Be punctual: Nothing is more irritating for a busy professional than someone who doesn’t value their time. Always be punctual. Arriving 10 to 15 minutes early is even better, as you’ll have an opportunity to compose yourself.
• Be genuine: While there are certain ways to answer common questions, be genuine when responding. Trying to present the type of information you think interviewers want to hear will reduce the depth and substance of the communication.
• Show gratitude: Making it to the college admission interview is huge. Make sure the admission officers know how grateful and excited you are about the opportunity.
• Keep your answers short, sweet, and precise: Here’s one final tip for you – don’t ramble. If you need to, take a few seconds to think through the answer before responding. This approach works well when working on job interview skills and it’s also appropriate for high school students.

Overcome College Admission Interviews Challenges: Get Professional Assistance

It’s very easy to let nerves get the best of you, especially if you don’t feel prepared enough. At the same time, the lack of knowledge can make it very difficult to prepare adequately for a college admission interview.

Working with a skilled professional will help you focus on the areas that will have the biggest impact on your presentation. At Morzep, we know what it takes to impress college professionals and we’ll help you sharpen these skills.

Our college coaches will take you through all of the college application steps, helping you polish your presentation. Together, we will come up with a personalized strategy that works well for the particular college’s requirements and that increases your chances of admission. Get in touch today!